HOBOKEN – In a story that made headlines after being first reported by the Hoboken Reporter Thursday morning, Hoboken City Hall has issued a statement in response to an incident in which emergency workers smashed a woman’s car because they thought a child was overheating in the seat. Turns out, the “child” was actually a doll.

The incident happened in the middle of a summer in which much publicity has been given to the tragic incidents of parents forgetfully leaving their infants in car seats on the way to work, or leaving kids in the car temporarily to do errands. A car can heat up quickly and hundreds of children have died in hot cars over the past 20 years. (For more on this issue, see our earlier report, linked below.)

Hoboken City Hall clarified that it was a member of the Hoboken Volunteer Ambulance Corps who broke the woman’s car window on Wednesday “after several people called to report the matter.”

Late on Thursday, Hoboken Mayor Dawn Zimmer sent a statement: “We stand behind the actions of our Hoboken Volunteer Ambulance Corps and thank them for their work every day to keep Hoboken residents safe. I hope this unusual story can be a reminder to all parents never to leave your children in a hot car and to residents that if you see a child or a pet in a hot car, you should definitely call for help to address the situation.”